Low-water alarm.



No. 650,647. Patented May '29, I900. I

D. M. LOWE.

LOW WATER ALARM.

(Application filed Dec. 15, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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DELBERT M. LOWE, OF

CORUNNA, h'llCHlGAN.

LOW-WATER ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 650,647, dated May 29, 1900.

Application filed December 15,1 899 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DELBERT M. LOWE, a citizen of the United States, residing at C- runna, in the county of Shiawassee, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LoW-VVater Alarms; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to low-water alarms for steam-boilers; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

I The object of the invention is to provide a low-water alarm of simple andinexpensive construction in which the arrangement is such as to provide for the location of the valve upon the exterior of the boiler, the actuation of said valve from the exterior as well as by the interior mechanism, and the adjustment of the float upon the actuatinglever, so as to increase or decrease the leverage thereof.

The above object is obtained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation showing my improved low-water alarm attached to a boiler. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, in vertical section, through my improved alarm and a portion of the boiler-shell on which it is mounted.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates a section of a boiler, in which 2 designates the water-line.

3 designates a pipe-section having threads 4 on its upper end, adapted to screw through the shell of the boiler 5 from the inside, said pipesection depending within the steam-space. Formed on the lower end of said pipe is an ear 6, to which one end of the lever 7 is jou rnaled, the outer end of said lever having a series of apertures 8, in which the threaded stems 9 of the float 10 is screwed from the under side, said stem carrying the jam-nuts 11, which are adapted to bear against the opposite faces of the lever 7 to lock said stein in position. Pro- Serial No. 740,406. (No model.)

jecting downwardly from'the pipe-section 3 is a slotted guide 12, through which the lever 7 passes and which maintains said lever in proper alinement.

' Screwed onto the upper threaded end 4 of the pipe-section 3 and in alinement therewith is a valve-ease 13, having upon the interior thereof a valve-seat 14, against which the valve is adapted to normally rest to close the opening through said valve-case. The valve-stem 16 is a straight rod which passes through the valve 15, its lower end extending downwardly through the pipe-section 3 and being pivoted at 17 to the lever 7, while the upper end of said stem is threaded at 18 and screwed into a socket in the lower end of a straight section or continuation 19 of said rod, passing downwardly through the tube 20, which is screwed into the upper end of the valve-case 13. A cap 21 closes the end of the tube and serves as a guide for the upper end of the rod-section 19, which projects through said cap and bears against the under side of a lever 22. Leading from one side of the tube 20 is a pipe 23, having at its upper end a whistle 24. The lever 22 is pivoted at 25 to the pipe 23 and has a cord 26 attached to the outer end, whereby by adownward pull upon said cord the valve 15 may be carried from its seat for the purpose of testing the valve or when it is desired to blow the whistle. A guide 27, projecting from the cap 21, embraces the lever 22 and directs it in its movement.

As will be seen, the float 1O normally stands below the water-level 2, so that its buoyancy exerts a continuous upward pressure upon the lever 17, thereby exerting an upward force upon the valve-stem 16 and holding the valve 15 firmly to its seat. Should the water in the boiler fall below a point of safety, the float 10 will be permitted to drop, thereby pulling downward upon the lever 7 and actuating the valvestem 16 to open the valve 15, permitting the steam to pass upward through the valvecase and tube 20 and blow the whistle, thereby advising the engineer that the water in the boiler is below a proper and safe level. When the water in the boiler is again raised to its normal level, the float 10 will raise the lever 7 and force the valve 15 onto its seat, thereby shutting off the flow of the steam to the whistle and restoring the parts to their normal condi tion.

By means of the threads on stem 9 of the float and the nuts 11 said stem may be adj usted in the lever 7 to regulate the distance which said float depends below said lever, thereby enabling the float to be adjusted to accommodate any desired water-level in the boiler. The series of apertures 8 through the lever 7 enables the float to be attached to the lever at various distances from the levers fulcrum, thereby enabling the lifting-power of the float to be regulated according to varying conditions. v p

By locating the valve-seat upon the exterior of the boiler it is rendered readily accessible at all times, enabling the valve to be readily repaired should it from any cause become inoperative.

It will be observed that the valve 15'is as sisted in closing upward against the seat 14 by the pressure of the steam, and when the cord 26 is drawn upon to sound the whistle the steam-pressure tending to hold the valve closed must be overcome. As above stated, the float 10 is designed to be entirely submerged, as shown. When the water falls, the float is partially and at last entirely uncovered, and then it will drop suddenly and over.- come the tendency of the steam to hold the valve closed, whereby the latter will again be open against the steam-pressure. In si milar devices hitherto patented a slide-valve was used which was not subject to the steampressure, and floats were employed which were not intended to be entirely submerged. Hence the quick action of the valve did not take place.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a low-water alarm, the combination with a boiler, a pipe-section passing through the boiler-shell and communicating with the steam-space therein, a valve-case upon'the exterior of the boiler communicating and in alinement with said pipe-section, an interior downwardly-facing valve-seat therein, a tube leading upwardly from and'in alinement with the valve-case, and a whistle connected therewith; of a lever pivoted to the pipe-section within the boiler, a straight rod leading upwardly from the lever through the pipe-section, valve-case, and tube, a valve on this rod adapted to close upwardly against said seat, a hand-lever for depressing said rod and manually opening the valve, and a float rigidly but adjustably connected with the lever within the boiler and adapted to be submerged when the valve is closed and the water-level is at its normal height, allas and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a low-water alarm, the combination with the boiler, a pipe-section passing through the boiler-shell and communicating with the steam-space therein, a valve-case upon the exterior of the boiler communicating and in alinement with said pipesection, an interior downwardly-facing Valve-seat therein, a tube leading upwardly from and in alinement with p the valve-case, a pipe leading from one side of said tube outward and thence upward, and a whistle carried by the upper end of this pipe 5 of a lever pivoted to the pipe-section within the boiler, a straight rod leading upwardly from the lever through the pipe-section,valvecase, and tube, a valve on this rod adapted to close upwardly against said seat, a hand-lever for depressing-saidrod and manually opening the valve, said lever being pivoted to the pipe" which supports the whistle and passing over the upper end of saidtube, a cap on the latter through which the rod plays loosely, a guide on said cap in which the lever works, and a float rigidly but adjustably connected withthe lever within the boiler and adapted to be submerged when the valve is closed and the water-level is at its normal height, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a low-water alarm,: the combination with a boiler, a pipe-section passing through the boiler-shell and communicating with the steam-space therein, a valve-case upon the exterior of the boiler communicating and in alinement with said pipe-section, an interior downwardly-facing valve-seat therein, a tube leading upwardly from and in alinement with the valve-case, and a whistle connected therewith; of a lever pivoted to the pipe-section within-the boiler, a straight-rod leading upwardly from the lever through the pipe-section, valve-case, and tube, said rod being in sections adj ustably connected, a valve on this rod adapted-to close upwardly against said seat, a hand-lever for depressing said'rod and manually opening the valve,an'd a floatrigidly but adj ustably connected with the lever with in the-boiler and adapted to be submerged when the valve is closed and the water-level is at its normal height, all as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

D'ELBERT M. LOWE.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL JARVIS, IVAN Lows.

IIO 

